Eurovision fans were left divided on Thursday after the BBC did not show a sketch about LGBT representation from the live broadcast.
The second semi-final was being streamed from Vienna, with the show featuring various pre-recorded sketches and skits between acts.
Yet during the BBC’s broadcast they did not show one of the Austrian sketches, instead cutting to their own package about the UK’s entrant, Look Mum No Computer. It is not clear if the BBC were permitted to broadcast all the segments.
The skit featured Austria’s Eurovision host Victoria Swarovski, acting as Professor Eurovision, teaching a room full of students about the competition.
In the clip, a student asked: ‘Why are there only gays at Eurovision now? Have they taken over?’ to which Professor Eurovision stated that the festival is mainly attended, worked on and enjoyed by ‘straight’ people.
She went on to say that the aim is ‘to replace all the letters in LGBTQIA+ with just one “H” for humanity’.
The skit then led into a montage of participants from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Eurovision fans were left divided on Thursday after the BBC cut out a section about LGBT representation from the live broadcast (pictured: BBC hosts Rylan and Angela Scanlon)
The skit featured Austria’s Eurovision host Victoria Swarovski, acting as Professor Eurovision, teaching a room full of students about the LGBT involvement in the competition
Despite the BBC opting not to air the sketch, it began to circulate on social media, with fans branding the clip ‘tone deaf’.
However, Britain’s first transgender television newsreader India Willoughby was vocally against the decision for the BBC not to air the sketch.
Taking to X/Twitter, she penned: ‘The BBC just covered up a video about LGBT in Europe by playing a video of the UK entry – which will be performed live in about 30 minutes.
‘Why? Do they not want to upset Reform? Did it mention -God forbid – TRANS PEOPLE!!?? 22nd safest country in Europe. #Eurovision’.
Yet other fans took a different approach, tweeting ‘As a British gay who wasn’t shown this LGBT section, as the BBC said it was an ad break, can someone tell me if I should be team BBC for refusing or anti-BBC for cutting it cause I’m so confused #Eurovision’;
‘Apparently it was a really tone deaf ‘professor Eurovision’ segment about LGBTQIA+ history in Eurovision. From all accounts the BBC made the right decision not to show it’;
‘I just watched this segment via SVT and the overall package comes across sweet and well-meaning but a little tone-deaf… there’s no real defending that last line though like oh my god. No wonder BBC just cut it out.’
The Daily Mail have contacted BBC for comment.
Later in the broadcast, viewers joked the UK would get ‘no points’ again this year after Look Mum No Computer performed for the first time.
Singers from the so-called big five – the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France – automatically qualify for the final, with their broadcasters contributing the most to Eurovision financially.
Yet fans were left unimpressed by the performance of the YouTube star, whose real name is Sam Battle, 37, and went on to hail Delta Goodrem, 41, as the standout act of the night after she performed her song for Australia, Eclipse.
For the UK’s act, Sam wore a pink boiler suit as performers in fluffy computer headwear danced in a mock workshop, while he played a synthesiser on his song Eins, Zwei, Drei.
Meanwhile, Delta played a sparkly gold piano as she performed her song Eclipse.
The singer and former Neighbours star, who is arguably the best known act in the song contest for 2026, was accompanied by a harpist.
During her performance, Delta was elevated into the air from the top of her piano.
Britain’s first transgender television newsreader India Willoughby was vocally against the decision for the BBC to pull the sketch
Despite the BBC opting not to air the sketch, it began to circulate on social media, with fans branding the clip ‘tone deaf’
Eurovision viewers joked the UK would get ‘no points’ again this year after Look Mum No Computer performed for the first time
While viewers were left unimpressed by the performance of the YouTube personality, whose real name is Sam Battle, they went on to hail Delta Goodrem as the star of the night
The 10 entries that went through were Bulgaria, Ukraine, Norway, Australia, Romania, Malta, Cyprus, Czechia, Albania and Denmark.
The contest´s motto is ‘United by Music,’ and it aims to steer clear of politics – often unsuccessfully. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The 2024 contest in Malmo, Sweden, and last year´s event in Basel, Switzerland, saw pro-Palestinian protests that called for Israel to be expelled over the conduct of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
A demonstration against Israel´s participation is planned ahead of Saturday´s final in Vienna.
Five countries – Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland – are boycotting Eurovision this year because of Israel´s inclusion.
Israel has also faced allegations it ran a rule-breaking marketing campaign to get votes for its contestants.
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, has toughened voting rules in response, halving the number of votes per person to 10 and tightening safeguards against ‘suspicious or coordinated voting activity.’
Israel´s Bettan was met with some protest chants when he performed in Tuesday´s semifinal. Unlike in previous years, Palestinian flags are being allowed in the arena and Austrian broadcaster ORF says it will not mute any booing.
The five-country boycott is a revenue and viewership blow to an event that organizers say was watched by 166 million people around the world last year.
Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania have returned after skipping the event for artistic or financial reasons in recent years, but the number of participants is still the lowest since 2003.
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